Sky In The Pie

by Roger McGough

Waiter, there's a sky in my pie! Roger McGough has cooked up a delicious feast of poems. This spicy collection contains only the finest ingredients - wit, sparkle and thought-provoking insight from a very superior source. Get ready to have your tastebuds tickled! some poems will make you choke with laughter, some need to be chewed very carefully.

Genres: Poetry

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Martin Hare Michno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avoiding the much darker poems, this one is my favourite:

Waiter! there's a sky in my pie,
Remove at once if you please,
You can keep your incredible sunsets
I ordered mincemeat and cheese

I can't stand nightingales singing
Or clouds all burnished with gold
The whispering breeze is disturbing the peas
And making my chips go all cold

I don't care if the chef is an artist
Whose canvases hang in the Tate
I want two veg and puff pastry
Not the universe heaped on my plate

OK I'll try just a spoonful
I suppose I've got nothing to lose
Mm . . . the colours quite tickle the pallete
With a blend of delicate hues

The sun has a custardy flavour
And the clouds are as light as air
The wind with a chewier texture
(With a hint of cinnamon there?)

This sky is simply delicious
Why haven't I tried it before?
I can chew my way through to Eternity
And still have room left for more

Having acquired a taste for the Cosmos
I'll polish this sunset off soon
I can't wait to tuck into the night sky
Waiter! Please bring me the Moon!

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poetry collection that tackles a surprising variety of topics.

When I first picked up Sky in the Pie, I assumed from the cover that it would simply be a book of McGough's verse targeted at children. However, some of these have edge to them. There remain plenty of silly poems in Sky in the Pie, but there are also some darker examples covering subjects like domestic violence and the death of a parent.

Mind you, these tough subjects are covered with the same rhyme choices and, dare I say, sense of humour. This is not to say that McGough makes light of hardship, more that he taps into the macabre interests of young readers. While this took me by surprise, I suspect most kids wouldn't bat an eyelid.

This controversy set aside, Sky in the Pie pops with crafty wordplay and likeable absurdity. McGough often breaks rhythm and messes with form to get a giggle. Also the illustrations, provided by Satoshi Kitamura in my copy, help bolster the gags.

Though it's got some bite to it, I recommend Sky in the Pie to parents who want to share McGough's mastery of comedy poetry with their children.

Notable Poems

• The New Poem (for 18 words) – a verse that makes good use of a very limited supply of words.

• Late Autumn Poem – a stunning, shaped poem with sharp assonance and an intimate ending.

• A Poem Just For Me – a daft pronoun game in verse form that ultimately emphasises self-respect.

[Alex Margolies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic book from my childhood, really enjoyed reading this to Ems.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beatings: Thought provoking.

Reminiscent of Larkin's They Fuck you up.